Manufactured charcoal briquette using Diatomaceous Earth, Organic Fibers, and Aromatic and Non-Aromatic Woods.

ABSTRACT

A charcoal briquette which contains about 1% to 16% long porous organic fibers and 1% to 8% diatomaceous earth additives to create a charcoal briquette that is capable of being extruded at lower pressures and contains air pockets to aid in oxidation.

A combustible carbonaceous briquette with porous fibers and porous non-organic components to facilitate match light, used with or without aromatic wood and non-aromatic wood used to provide natural wood smoke as a food seasoning.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Citations

Cited Patent Filing date Issue date Original Assignee Title U.S. Pat. No. 3,089,760 Nov. 4, 1959 May 14, 1963 Briquette igniting and grease absorbent material U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,161 Dec. 28, 1964 1967 Spontaneously combustible charcoal briquette U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,681 Dec. 17, 1963 May 28, 1968 Self-starting charcoal briquette and method of making the same U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,600 Sep. 12, 1967 Dec. 23, 1969 Manufacture op dust-proof charcoal adsorbent fines and briquettes made therefrom U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,234 Sep. 5, 1972 Instantaneously ignitable solid fuel U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,700 Jan. 29, 1971 Jan. 9, 1973 Smoke flavoring barbecue additive and method of making U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,398 Mar. 13, 1978 Sep. 11, 1979 American Colloid Carbonaceous briquette and method for making same Company U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,914 Jun. 1, 1987 Nov. 29, 1988 Crace Associates, Inc. Briquette for gas and electric grills U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,494 Jan. 10, 1989 Jan. 1, 1991 Roquette Freres Water-resistant fuel agglomerate, process for preparing it and composition of matter employed in the process U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,671 Jun. 9, 1989 Apr. 23, 1991 Process for producing a solid, finely divided fuel based on coal

Referenced by

Citing Patent Filing date Issue date Original Assignee Title U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,454 Dec. 23, 1993 Nov. 7, 1995 Apparatus and methods for the utilization of combustible materials especially of industrial and household waste U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,933 May 7, 1997 Jun. 23, 1998 AMCOL International Corporation Activated carbon foundry sand additives and method of casting metal for reduced VOC emissions U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,918 May 7, 1997 Sep. 22, 1998 AMCOL International Corporation Method of analyzing and/or treating foundry sands for reduced VOCs U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,946 May 7, 1997 Apr. 13, 1999 Amcol International Corporation Combustible carbonaceous compositions and methods U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,116 Aug. 11, 1998 Jan. 11, 2000 Briquette binder composition U.S. Pat. No. 8,137,628 Mar. 24, 2011 Mar. 20, 2012 Cool Planet Biofuels, Inc. System for making renewable fuels U.S. Pat. No. 8,143,464 Mar. 24, 2011 Mar. 27, 2012 Cool Planet Biofuels, Inc. Method for making renewable fuels U.S. Pat. No. 8,173,044 May 9, 2011 May 8, 2012 Cool Planet Biofuels, Inc. Process for biomass conversion to synthesis gas U.S. Pat. No. 8,216,430 Jan. 15, 2010 Jul. 10, 2012 Cool Planet Biofuels, Inc. System and method for biomass fractioning U.S. Pat. No. 8,236,085 Dec. 1, 2011 Aug. 7, 2012 Cool Planet Biofuels, Inc. Method for enhancing soil growth using bio-char

DESCRIPTION

Charcoal Briquette With Porous Organic Fibers and Non-Organic Porous Material.

The Briquette is constructed of a mix of burnable compounds containing wood particles, charcoal, wax, organic fibers that are porous, non organic material that is porous and a proprietary binder material. Other organic dense material is added to enhance the products burn, such as aromatic hard wood particles.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

This invention relates to a charcoal briquette construction, a method of making a charcoal briquette with wax and wood particles, but with the additions of organic porous flammable fibers and non-organic porous material.

Charcoal briquettes are common in the form of a briquette, block, or cylinder with wax or gum based binders, wood particles, and some dangerous ones with liquid organic fuel saturated in them. This type of charcoal briquette is generally provided in cylinder or traditional briquette form of predetermined dimensions. The charcoal briquette is placed in quantity of material to be burned, and is ignited using a flame source. The wax, charcoal, and wood particle mixture with additives burns to ignite and burns until it embers out when the grill is ready to cook on. While this type of charcoal briquette is generally functional, it has many advantages.

A) Traditionally large quantity of charcoal briquette material and combustible fluid must be used to generate a sufficiently intense flame to maintain a heat source to cook food when grilling.

B) It is well known in the prior art to provide a platform or iron grate onto which charcoal briquettes and other material are placed to be burnt. The charcoal briquettes are either waxed or impregnated with a combustible fuel. In addition, the intensity of the flame generated by the burning of the wood chips or newspaper is often insufficient to ignite highly compacted starch based or real carbon based charcoal briquettes. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a charcoal briquette which is simple to use, and that its operation provides good results with readily available materials.

C) Another objective of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a charcoal briquette which is simple, yet which results in a charcoal briquette providing a high level of performance.

D) A further objective of the invention is to provide a charcoal briquette packaging arrangement which efficiently and economically packages fire starters for sale in industry competitive packaging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates generally to charcoal briquette construction, a method of making charcoal brickettes with wax and combustible cell matter, but with the addition of organic porous flammable fibers, aromatic and non-aromatic wood shavings, and porous diatomaceous earth the addition of which allow for an appreciable increase in flammability, heating value and flame intensity.

2. Description of Related Art

Traditionally charcoal briquettes are common and have been used in homes for years to provide a method by which to cook food outside at festive occasions. Charcoal briquette generally aim to solve a problem of an out door heat source to cook food at festive occasions.

Artificial charcoal briquettes are a common type of charcoal briquette. Prior art artificial charcoal briquette commonly are composed of: wood particles or other combustible cell matter including saw dust, corn starch, wood, cardboard, wood shavings, cotton liner, pulp, shredded paper, straw, pine needles, grass clippings, agricultural waste, leaves, oil palm fruit bunches, or tree bark; combustible non absorbent materials including coffee grounds, nut shells, corn shells, olive pits; a combustible wax or binder including paraffin wax, slack wax, vegetable oil, cellulosic or gum based material or other types of flammable waxes. The combustible wax component of charcoal briquettes often contains various highly flammable expensive petroleum additives designed to increase flammability. Artificial charcoal briquettes are also commonly enveloped in a wax paper wrapper bag that is lined with a flammable substance to further increase the likelihood of initial ignition.

Typical art charcoal briquettes are composed from roughly 40-60% starch or coal particles or other combustible cell matter and 40-60% of a binder and filler component. U.S. Pat. No. 8,123,824 discloses the addition of combustible non absorbent materials. The non absorbent material component, which may for example include: coffee grounds, nut shells, husks or olive pits are designed to improve caloric content, provide increased BTU energy value when burning and to make the charcoal briquettes more affordable to manufacture by replacing a high volatile organic solvent content.

The main disadvantage of the using dense non absorbent materials in charcoal briquettes is the added manufacturing cost. Manufacturing charcoal briquettes require machines capable of extrusion at pressures of 700-800 PSI or greater. As a result of this high pressure, machinery is often worn out quickly, and added labor costs are incurred. Manufacturing costs are further increased because machines are required to process these raw materials. A charcoal briquette with non absorbent materials does not burn as cleanly, contains remaining residue and has a high char content. Finally, the resulting extruded and compacted charcoal briquette is often heavy and not very porous which reduces the speed of oxidation that retards its flammability, while increases its burn time.

Artificial charcoal briquettes are commonly packaged in a packaging that aides in their ignition. These disclosures are designed to promote initial flammability by allowing the user to light the more flammable packaging. Although these methods are generally effective, the main disadvantage is that current charcoal briquettes are too restricting and do not provide proper airflow to take full advantage of these features. Even with these methods to aid preliminary ignition, common charcoal briquettes typically are too densely compacted to take advantage of them and often have problems igniting and burning.

As an object of the present invention, there exists a need to improve upon traditional art charcoal briquettes by providing a charcoal briquette that is inexpensive to manufacture, a charcoal briquette that is environmentally friendly, and charcoal briquette that allows for the reduction of costly use of volatile organic solvent in manufacturing or when lighting the charcoal briquettes by the end user. Charcoal briquettes can be manufactured by substituting components with other materials. A further object of this present invention is to provide a charcoal briquette that enables the free flow of air by being more porous for the purposes of enabling efficient oxidation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Artificial charcoal briquettes that embody features of this present invention typically compose of: combustible cell materials, and a wax or other binder blended and shaped in a method typical of charcoal briquettes available in the past. The present invention adds porous long organic fibers and porous non-organic particles to this combination of materials during the creation of the charcoal briquettes. These long organic fibers may be supplemented by similar agricultural fibers. A typical combination of this present invention contains 1-16% organic fibers. These organic fibers are less dense than traditional charcoal briquette components and will enable the charcoal briquettes to be manufactured more cheaply and to be extruded with less wear and tear on the machinery. Organic fibers will also reduce the need for costly volatile organic solvents by substituting petroleum based wax and organic fiber that contains a similar energy content without a dramatic drop in overall energy content. These natural fibers and porous material will also replace some of the non absorbent cell materials and volatile organic compounds common in charcoal briquettes of the past that will create a cleaner burn with, less debris, and one that is more environmentally friendly. Natural fibers and porous material added by this present invention will also create a lighter charcoal briquette, or one where less of the compound is needed. The objective adding these natural fibers and porous material is to provide a charcoal briquette that is inexpensive to manufacture, environmentally friendly and a charcoal briquette that weighs less, with the idea that you are giving the consumer more as a better product.

Under another embodiment of this present invention, diatomaceous earth may also be added to the above described charcoal briquette combination. A typical combination contains 1%-8% diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth allows for a better air flow since diatoms have air pockets within a Silica based exoskeleton. Diatomaceous earth also increases the surface area of a charcoal briquette, resulting in a charcoal briquette that is easier to light, maintain a flame

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this present invention demonstrating one non-limiting example of a manufactured finished product. In Figure one number 101 indicates the entire charcoal briquette, where as number 102 indicates a porous particle of diatomaceous earth. Number 103 indicates a porous organic fiber, while number 104 indicates the mixture of the body, wax, coal, wood particles, and other material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The artificial charcoal briquette of this present invention may provide for a more economical method of production of charcoal briquette by replacing dense non absorbent cell matter of a charcoal briquette with long organic fiber and porous non-organic material. The replacement of dense non absorbent cell matter, either in full or in part, will allow for equivalent energy content, but result in a product that is much more compactable and reduce the stress on machinery. The components charcoal briquette of this present invention may include those components of a traditional charcoal briquettes: combustible cell material, wax or oil or fat based binding material and non absorbent combustible cell material to meet the objectives of this present invention.

Replacing, either fully or in part, the non absorbent cell matter of a charcoal briquette with organic fibers and porous non-organic particles will allow for a product that is much easier to manufacture since organic fibers and porous non-organic material are much less dense than common non absorbent cellulosic matter including: pistachio nut shells, walnut shells, coconut shells, hazelnut shells, hickory shells, beech shells, oak nut shells, olive pits, peach pits, prune pits and high charcoal content. These typical non absorbent cellulosic materials, while generally effective as a binder substitute have a high mass per volume ratio, resulting in a very dense product that is requires machines that are capable of reaching 700-800 psi or greater to extrude a charcoal briquette. This high psi requirement results in added strain on machinery that increases the wear and tear on machines. Further, the use of this dense non absorbent cellulosic require additional processing to ensure the other exterior of a charcoal briquettes does not include the jagged edges of this cellulosic material that penetrate the surface of the charcoal briquettes, which could potentially injure users.

Porous organic fibers, natural or man made, are a class of materials that have continuous filaments or discrete elongated pieces. Fibers are often produced by nature, animals, geological processes or by man. Fibers tend to be long and supple with good tensile strength. Organic fibers have the properties having much lower mass per volume ratio, typically being less dense than non absorbent cell matter of typical fire starters. In the extrusion process, the use of organic fibers in place of denser charcoal briquette ingredients reduces the need for heavy machinery and the wear and tear suffered by machines when used. Further less power is consumed because organic fibers do not require as much processing in the form of heating or cooking the material. The application of heat and energy can be concentrated on very short periods during the manufacturing process. For example, non limiting raw long strain organic fibers of this present invention include: palm fruit fiber, palm fiber, abaca fibers, bagasse fibers, coconut fibers, corn fibers, cotton fibers, flax fibers, hemp fibers, papyrus fibers, rice paper fibers, wheat straw fibers, yucca fiber, straw fiber, mulch fiber, prairie grasses. These organic fibers have a lower density than the non absorbent cellulosic material that under the present invention they will replace in whole or in part.

In one embodiment of this present invention, the following ingredients are mixed in together in the following proportions based on weight: (a) wax or flammable binder material from about 10% to about 25%, (b) combustible cell material from about 20%-40%, (c) non absorbent cell material from about 1% to about 20%, (d) long strain organic fibers from about 1% to about 20%, and diatomaceous earth about 1% to 10% The resulting charcoal briquette will have a final composition of 100% from a combination of the above components.

Non limiting examples of combustible cell material that this present invention may compose of include: saw dust, wood, cardboard, wood shavings, cotton liner, pulp, shredded paper, straw, pine needles, grass clippings, agricultural waste, leaves, oil palm fruit bunches, or tree bark.

Non limiting examples of absorbent combustible cell material that may or may not be included as a component of this present invention include: nut shells, corn shells pistachio nut shells, fruit pits and apple pits.

Non limiting examples of combustible wax or binder material this present invention may compose of include: palm oil wax, soy wax, paraffin wax, vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, soy oil, petrolatum, recycled wax.

Non limiting examples of organic fibers that this present invention may compose of include: palm fruit fiber, palm fiber, abaca fibers, bagasse fibers, coconut fibers, corn fibers, cotton fibers, flax fibers, hemp fibers, papyrus fibers, rice paper fibers, wheat straw fibers, yucca fiber, straw fiber, mulch fiber, prairie grasses.

The substitution of long raw organic fibers, and porous in organic material, in whole or in part, is directly related to the ease of manufacture and better burn ability of this present invention to function. Because of the lessened manufacturing pressure, due to the lower density components of this present invention, a lessened layer of wax veneer is formed, so the resulting product is more porous with greater air flow which results in a stronger burning flame that does not flicker. The present invention does not flicker because organic fibers embedded throughout the present invention provide a stable base for the charcoal briquettes to draw oxygen from. Different organic fibers and non-organic modifiers, and organic binders may be used to vary the burn rate and peak temperature. During combustion of the charcoal briquettes, the material readily ignites with a high, intense flame.

The substitution of porous organic fibers, and porous non-organic material, in whole or in part, directly relates to the present invention producing less smoke and producing a less unpleasant odor. Porous organic fibers of this present invention produce less smoke partially due to their low density and better flammability. Porous organic fibers of this present invention also produce a less unpleasant odor when burned because the natural organic fibers of this present invention do not have to be processed as much. Additionally, any caloric value lost is negligible since raw organic fibers usually contain similar BTU content than materials which they are replacing.

The substitution of porous organic fibers, in whole or in part, also directly relates to the present invention weighing less for the energy that is produced. Organic fibers of this present invention weigh less and will replace components of charcoal briquettes that are heavy.

In one embodiment of this present invention, palm fiber from a palm tree are processed from palm fruit is added as an organic fiber to a charcoal briquette. Palm fiber, which has a high energy content of 10500 BTU/lb, when substituted for dense non absorbent cellulosic material enables the charcoal briquette to be extruded at lower pressures due to Palm Fiber's low density while maintaining the similar energy content to the dense non absorbent cellulosic material it replaces.

In another embodiment of this present invention, diatomaceous earth or crushed porous volcanic rock can be used for certain beneficial purposes. In this embodiment, the charcoal briquette of this embodiment is composed of each of the following based on weight proportions: (a) wax or flammable binder material from about 10% to about 60%, (b) combustible cell material from about 10%-60%, (c) non absorbent cell material from about 1% to about 20%, (d) long organic fibers from about 1% to about 20%, (e) diatomaceous earth 1% to about 10%. The resulting charcoal briquettes will have a final composition of 100% from a combination of the above components.

Non limiting examples of diatomaceous earth and related volcanic or meta-volcanic based rock known for its beneficial porous properties include: diatomaceous earth, diatomite, and pumice. Diatomaceous earth when substituted into a charcoal briquette allows for better airflow since diatoms have air pockets within a Silica based exo skeleton. Diatomaceous earth also improves the surface area available for a charcoal briquette since diatoms provide empty air pocket reserves within the charcoal briquette. The combination of increased airflow and a greater surface area produces a charcoal briquette of this present invention that is initially capable of burning at a higher temperature to aid in charcoal briquette ignition.

The charcoal briquette of this present invention may be shaped according to the broad variety of charcoal briquette shapes known. For example, the present invention may have a cross sectional circular shape or a cross sectional rectangular shape. Notches or grooves may be added to increase surface area and enable ignition. These notches may or may not be filled with combustible material. Moreover, this present invention may be enveloped in a well-known charcoal briquette wrapper that aids in initial combustion by providing starter material and a fuel based inner wrapper. The present invention may be composed of a variety of different modifications described and is not intended to be limited to the above described modifications.

The charcoal briquette of this present invention is prepared by the common industrial method of creation of charcoal briquettes. Accordingly, raw non absorbent cellulosic material and absorbent cellulosic material (typically saw dust and shells) are grinded together processed to be no greater than an ⅛^(th) of an inch squared in size. Raw organic natural fibers may then be added. In one embodiment, diatomaceous earth is added and blended with the cellulosic mixture. In another container, the wax or binder is heated by flame and subsequently mixed into the blended mixtures. All components are mixed in based on their percentages of weight according to this present invention. When the mixture cools, the mixture is then placed into a machine and a cylinder or shape is formed typically by extrusion or mechanical pressing. The finished cylinder or shape is cut into, a desired length and possibly notched. Additives such as a flammable gel or external coat may be added. Finally, an outer wrap is added.

FIG. 1 is an example of one embodiment of this present invention manufactured according to the above descriptions. The charcoal briquette 101, is molded into a cylinder shape, but other shapes are possible according to the known industrial methods of creation. The charcoal briquette of this present embodiment, contains diatomaceous earth particles 102, and fibers 103 running the length of the charcoal briquette to increase surface area and oxygenation during the burn. The resulting material 104 is made up of organic cellulosic material, charcoal, and wax, as well as a few additives. The above described embodiment is merely an example embodiment and there is no intent to limit this present invention to the configuration as shown in FIG. 1. 

1. A charcoal briquette consisting of a mass of combustible wood particles, wax, and porous flammable organic fibers, and porous non-organic material to aid in oxygenation during the burn.
 2. The charcoal briquette of claim 1, wherein has organic fibers and proprietary organic material to facilitate greater adhesion of the materials to itself so less pressure is needed to produce the extruded product. This results in less compaction, and thus a more flammable product.
 3. The charcoal briquette of claim 1, wherein the mass of the unit is lessened because of the substitution of porous flammable fibers and fillers that increase oxidation but reduce shipping weight of product as well as increasing its ability to be lightable with one match without the use of organic solvents that contain volatile organic compounds. Instead, aromatic and non-aromatic wood shavings are added. 